Like Mother, Like Daughter

Kid 1 has decided she’s going to write a book, “just like you, mom.”

Not sure if this is a genetic disposition or if I’m just a positive influence. If the former, I don’t know where I got mine from – my own mom worked in poli sci and later, accounting, and my dad was a computer software consultant – not much of the creative in either of those fields.

Thing is, for a six year old, her story’s actually pretty solid. It has two likeable protagonists – talking trees!, funny dialogue, a conflict and an antagonist. She’s only got the first act finished, and I’m genuinely looking forward to reading the next installment. I can tell that all the reading she does is paying off when it comes to story structure. She instinctively knew what elements a good story needed and made sure they were all present from the start. And she ended it on a cliffhanger! I’ve read a lot worse from people five times her age.

When she’s finished it, I plan on tucking the manuscript away so she can see her first effort when she’s an adult, like my mom did with the newspaper I self-published and some of my other masterpieces. I’m a proud mama.

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5 Responses to “Like Mother, Like Daughter”

That’s what I call good parenting! My six year old was up way late the other night, and when I went in to check on him (i.e. give him what for), I discovered he was writing a story about a family of homeless monkeys, and I realized that it would be totally hypocritical of me to tell him to go to bed.

I feel the same way when I catch her reading under the covers with a flashlight. I remember not being able to sleep until I found out how the story ended… hell, sometimes I still can’t go to bed until I turn the last page.